Laughter erupted in the room after the screening of the one-minute film Blackberry Flu or Mr Blackberry. The film, which is directed by Mohammad Abdul Rahman, shows a man so engrossed with his Blackberry phone that he was unaware of where he was going, the people he came across and who he ended up ignoring. Mr Blackberry almost slipped, bumped into people and finally ended up in the ladies’ room, not even realising he was in that embarrassing situation until the security guard pointed it out to him. “A lot of people here sit in a room together with friends or family members yet they end up not talking to each other because they are too busy chatting with other people using the mobile phone, or their Blackberry. I want to show people that this is not good… They are missing out on making contact and having good conversations with people in their immediate environment,” said Abdul Rahman, a computer science graduate. He said he decided to turn the situation into a comedy to make it “more memorable” and make it stick in the audience’s heads. Mr Blackberry was one of the one-minute films shown yesterday at the W Doha Hotel and Residences. The films were produced by the participants in the first workshop organised by the Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF) team. The other Qatari filmmakers who have made their directorial debut include Khalifa Al Obaidly, Jawaher Al Kuwari, Reem Al Muftah, Noora Al Meadadi, Fatma Al Naama, and Fatma Al Remaihi. Al Kuwari, who produced the film I Am A Qatari Woman, said she made this film as she wanted to give the viewers a glimpse into the life of a Qatari woman. Al Kuwari, who is an art education specialist, a painter and a poet, is now into filmmaking. She said she had a wonderful time doing the workshop, learning how to edit films and coordinate with a team. Al Naama’s Hopscotch Of Life was described by the viewers as “poetic”. The film shows a young girl playing hopscotch, and, as she was playing, a montage of her journey to womanhood was shown. Al Naama is an art graduate who works in community relations at the Museum of Islamic Art. She joined the DTFF team by chance after a brainstorming session about movie topics. A glimpse into one of the most interesting Qatari traditions was featured in Al Muftah’s Qatari Wedding film. It shows a young girl watching a traditional Qatari wedding featuring women celebrating with the bride on her wedding day, with lively music and a Qatari woman singing in the background. Al Muftah worked with Al Naama to make her film. Al Meadadi’s Lunchtime was tagged as Qatar’s “first horror movie.” Al Meadadi, who is a photography and ceramics enthusiast with an art degree, filmed her piece at the Museum of Islamic Art. The Choice Is Yours, produced by Al Obaidly, looks at the life of a man whose ego landed him in hospital. Al Obaidly is a graduate in marine science with a keen interest in photography. Al Remaihi’s Like Father, Like Son features a father-and-son relationship that shows a humorous aspect to fatherly guidance. Al Remaihi, who cast her eldest son Saeed in her film, is an English literature graduate and a mother of three. Qatar will be hosting for the first time the Doha Tribeca Film Festival from October 29 to November 1. The DTFF is the brainchild of H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=August2009&file=Local_News2009081825847.xml

Follow us on our social media channels: @ILQlive @ILQlive @ILoveQtr ILoveQatar